SPEAKER PROGRAM

Embracing Change in the Landscape: Naturalistic Design to blend Ecological and Social Perspectives

Ryan Drake, McCausland Natural Areas Manager for the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania

Ryan Drake is the McCausland Natural Areas Manager at the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania where he works with a team to manage 110 acres from naturalistic gardens to site reclamation. He previously worked as the Ecological Horticulturist in leading the design and advocacy for newly constructed gardens at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. He is interested in promoting new urban forms through environmental planning and design. Ryan received his B.S. in Community and Environmental Sociology and in Studio Art from the University of Wisconsin – Madison where he began his career in public horticulture. 

Ryan Drake will discuss recent projects at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden that are rooted in the sand prairies of Iowa. He will explore the process of place-making and collaboration in the construction process and in creating diverse and functional design utilizing ecological succession with native plants. Finally, he will reflect on the influences of plant exploration, curation, and urban form in his work in Des Moines and his current work at the Morris Arboretum.  

Native Pollinators of the Mid-Atlantic

Samantha Nestory, Engagement Manager and Naturalist for Stoneleigh: a natural garden

Samantha Nestory is the engagement manager and naturalist at Stoneleigh: a natural garden in Villanova. In her position, she develops educational programming, coordinates public events, and manages the volunteer program. Previously, she worked as a horticulturist at Stoneleigh for nearly four years. Samantha has also worked with Sarver Ecological, an ecological consulting firm, and the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania. She is passionate about native plants, ecological gardening, and insect conservation, and she is strongly committed to educating the public about these important issues.

“Pollinator” is a term that has gained massive popularity over the past couple of decades as our knowledge and understanding of our ecosystems have grown. Unfortunately, many people only associate this term with popular pollinators, such as European honeybees and butterflies – but there’s so much more to the world of pollinators. Join us as we learn about native pollinators that don’t get the spotlight and how we can support these incredible movers and shakers in our gardens and landscapes.

Coming Together in the Indigenous Garden at Olbrich Botanical Gardens

Erin Presley, Horticulturist for Olbrich Botanical Gardens

Erin Presley left her heart at Olbrich Botanical Gardens while interning there in 2005.  After earning a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison she gardened for nearly a decade in the private sector before returning to Olbrich in 2014, where she tends the Herb, Woodland, and Pond Gardens. As the 2022 inaugural winner of the American Public Gardens Association’s Gerry Donnelly Future Leaders award, she is never shy when it comes to sharing her passion for gardening and has appeared on the PBS series Let’s Grow Stuff, Wisconsin Public Radio’s Garden Talk, Cultivating Place with Jennifer Jewell , and is a contributor to Fine Gardening magazine.    

Milkweed soup tasting and sweetgrass braiding were just two experiences that brought together local Ho-Chunk tribal members and garden visitors in the Indigenous Garden at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin, in 2021 and 2022. The Indigenous Garden created opportunities to connect, converse, and appreciate the history and majesty of food plants significant in Midwestern First Nations cultures. Horticulturist Erin Presley describes the collaborative process and heartfelt community support surrounding the Indigenous Garden as an example of how public gardens like Olbrich are using the potential of plants to expand our audience and cultural relevance.

Natives, Selections and Cultivars Explained At Last

Uli Lorimer, Director of Horticulture for Native Plant Trust

With a dizzying array of native plants, selections and cultivars on the market, how are gardeners able to make great choices for their gardens? Does it matter how these plants were propagated? Are cultivars of natives the ecological equivalents of species? This talk will explore in greater depth these questions along with discussions of nascent efforts within the Northeast to improve the native plant supply chain. 

$125 PPA and Horticultural Society of Maryland Members | $145 Non-Members

In Person at *The Maritime Conference Center (note: new venue!)

692 Maritime Blvd, Linthicum Heights, MD

*Please visit the venue’s resource center webpage for safety policies.

Promo code: 2023MAdiscount (entered on last page of registration)

Note: HSM Members DO NOT need to sign in under a PPA Member account during registration. HSM Members simply fill out registration, then enter your promo code (2023MAdiscount) at checkout. The discounted member rate will not appear until the checkout page and only after the promo code has been entered.